Driving mechanism for textile machines



' Au 1, 1967 P, NDMAN ET AL 3,333,480

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE MACHINES,

Filed May 25, 1965 2 Shets-Sheet '1 IN V EN TORS Aug. 1, 1967 F, p LANDMAN ET AL 3,333,480

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed y 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet TIC-7; Z 11 If.

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United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A textile slasher or warper has automatic control means to provide a gradually decreasing tension to the warp as the warp builds up on the beam. The beam is driven through a variable speed drive. As the warp builds up on the beam and the tension increases, the slippage of the output shaft of an electromagnetic clutch increases, with a resultant decrease in the speed of the said shaft. This change in speed is sensed by a differential gear unit the output of which is delivered to a regulating shaft to adjust the variable speed drive. A control rheostat is coupled to the regulating shaft so that rotation of the regulating shaft changes the voltage applied to the coil of the electromagnetic clutch in a direction to increase further the slippage of the output shaft of the clutch to decrease further the output speed of the variable speed drive.

Background 0 the invention This invention relates to driving mechanisms for textile Slashers or warpers or the like.

The prior art has provided drives for textile Slashers or warpers in which a variable speed device is used to vary the speed at which the warp collecting beam is driven in accordance with variations in the rotative speed of the output shaft of a friction clutch caused by variations in warp tension.

In some of such prior art drives, the friction clutch is a mechanical clutch; in others, it is an electromagnetic clutch; but in none of these prior art drives has provision been made for varying automatically the torque output of the clutch in a controlled and desirable manner. Such means are provided by the present invention.

In prior art drives, for textile slashers and warpers, employing electromagnetic clutches, certain disadvantages have been observed. For example, during acceleration of the machine after startup, power is lost and an undesirable decrease in warp tension tends to occur. Later, as I the warp builds up on the collecting beam, an undesirable increase in warp tension generally occurs due to improved efiiciency of certain members that run at lower speeds as the diameter of the beam increases.

Prior to the present invention, such undesirable variations in warp tension could, in most instances, be contolled only by manual means.

Furthermore, final warp ends should sometimes be wound on the beam at a slightly decreased tension as compared With the tension of the beginning warp ends, but heretofore, there has been no automatic control available to give a tapered tension as the warp builds up on the beam.

Summary of the invention The broad object of the present invention is to provide a drive for a textile slasher, warper or like machine which includes means for varying automatically the output torque of an electric clutch to avoid undesired variations, and to attain desired variations, in yarn tension.

Another object is to provide automatic means for gradually decreasing the output torque of the clutch as the 3,333,489 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 diameter of the warp wound on the beam gradually increases.

Another object is to provide means for applying increased torque output from the clutch during start-up of the warper or slasher.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the foregoing objects are achieved by employing an electromagnetic clutch and by an electrical control circuit for varying automatically the clutch-plate pressure.

Brief description of the drawing In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of one form of slasher drive;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a preferred form of electrical control circuit provided in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a simplified diagrammatic illustration of one form of electromagnetic clutch suitable for use in the ap paratus of the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to FIG. 1, the numeral 1 designates a reversible electric motor which drives, through belting 2, a transverse jack shaft 3 suitably journalled to drive the slasher. By means of a sprocket chain 5 rotary motion is constantly communicated from the shaft 3 to the input shaft 6 of an electromagnetic clutch device 10. The output shaft 8 of clutch 10 is also the input shaft to a variable speed device 9.

Electromagnetic clutch 10 may be of any suitable type, but may preferably be a Vickers Magneclutch, a product of Vickers Incorporated. Such a clutch is illustrated in diagrammatic form in FIG. 3. Input shaft 6 terminates in a hollow steel cylinder 86. Output shaft 8 terminates in a solid steel cylinder 88 disposed within the hollow cylinder 86 and spaced therefrom by an annular gap 87 which is loosely filled with finely divided magnetic particles 89 and which functions as the working gap of the clutch.

The input and output clutch members 86 and 88 are supported on their respective shafts in cantilever fashion on ball bearings for rotation in the stator frame 90. A stationary electrical coil 91 is supported within the stator frame 90. An air gap 92 separates the hollow outer cylinder member 86 from the stator frame 90.

When the coil 91 is not energized the magnetic particles 89 in the Working gap 87 lie at random between the clutch members 86 and 38. When, however, the coil 91 is energized with a DC. current, a magnetic field is established around the coil 91 and magnetic lines of force cross the air gap 92, pass through the outer member 86, and then recross air gap 92. Member 86 quickly becomes saturated since it is provided with an annular groove or slot 93. When the path through the slotted outer member 86 becomes saturated, any additional magnetic lines of force cross the working gap 87, pass through the solid inner cylinder 88 and then recross gap 87. Those lines of force which cross the gap 87 produce a force or resistance to shear which is tangential to the working gap 87. This resistance to shear, or shear force, can be controlled by passing more or less DC. current through the coil 91. This force multiplied by the radius of the inner solid member 83 is, by definition, torque. The torque produced is independent of speed of rotation. It is a function only of the current through the coil 91.

Returning now to FIG. 1, the warp collecting beam 21 is mounted upon and keyed to a shaft 20 which is connected through an endless chain 22 to the output shaft 23 of the variable speed device 9. The chain 22 is connected to the beam shaft 20 by means of a sprocket wheel 25(The variable speed device 9 is controlled by means 7 diameter of the beam 21 increases.

which includes a differential gear unit 30 one side of which is driven at a constant speed for a given constant yarn speed and the other side of which is driven at a variable speed, as will be described.

The constant speed side of the differential unit 30is driven by the jack shaft 3 through the endless chain 48, the shaft 46, the chain 42, and the shaft 41. The shaft 41 has fixed thereon a spur wheel 40 which meshes with a spur wheel 39 which is mounted rotatably free on the output shaft 37 of the differential gear unit Siland secured to the bevel pinion 38. r a

The chain 42 is connected to the shaft 46 through a sprocket pinion 45 which is secured to a sleeve 45a which is free on shaft 46 and rotatably supported in a fixed bearing 47. The sleeve of the sprocket pinion 45 is provided at opposite ends with teeth for selective engagement with corresponding teeth of a collar 49 fixed on the shaft 46 or \m'th corresponding teeth on the fixed bearing 47. This arrangement allows'the differential unit 30 to be re-set by temporarily disengaging the sprocket pinion 45 from the collar 49 and engaging it with the stationary bearing 47. When this is done, the bevel gear pinion 38 will be held from rotating and the regulating shaft 35 of the variable speed device 9 will be turned in a reverse direction through induced movement of output shaft 37 of the differential gear unit 30. This will be clear upon completion of the description of the differential gear unit 30 and of the variable speed device 9.

Referring now to the other or variable speed side of the differential gear unit 30, this side is driven by shaft 31 which is driven by the output shaft 8 of the electromagnetic clutch device 10 through endless chain 33, shaft 33a, and chain 32. g

It will be understood that as the warp accumulates on the collection beam 21, the total or effective diameter of the beam increases. During this increase, the driving means tries to maintain the beam shaft rotating at a constant speed, and this tends to cause an acceleration in the speed at which the warp is drawn on to the beam. As a result, the warp tension increases and this puts an increased load on the beam drive which tends to increase the slippage of output clutch member 88 relative to input clutch member 86 of the clutch 10, and the rotational speed of the clutch output shaft 8 is thereby reduced. The reduction in speed of output shaft 8 is transmitted to input shaft 31 of the diflerential gear unit and a difference results in the speeds of the input shafts 31 and 41. This difference in speeds causes the gear unit 30 to revolve, thereby moving output shaft 37 rotationally and causing sprocket chain 36 to move in a direction to turn regulating shaft in a direction to adjust the variable speed device 9, thereby to reduce the speed of its output shaft 23. In this manner, the rotative speed of the beam shaft 20 is reduced in response to the slippage of output member 88 of clutch 10 relative to input member 86 caused by the increase in warp tension resulting from the acceleration of the warp W as the effective In accordance with the present invention, the slippage of the members of the electromagnetic clutch 10 is controlled electrically by controlling automatically the output torque of the clutch, as will now be described.

Referring now to FIG. 2, when the start switch 69 is closed, the time delay relay TDR is energized, its contacts TDR-1 close, and its contacts TDR-2 open. Switch 70, connected in parallel with switch 69, is open, relay FA is not energized, its contacts FA-2 are closed and its contacts .FA1 are open. These are the conditions of the relay switch contacts illustrated in FIG. 2.

72-A of rheostat 72 to the terminal T-4 is open at the relay contacts TDR2. The other powerlead L1 is connected to the terminal T-2. Terminal T-Z is connectable to T-3, and terminal T4 is connectable to terminals T-5 and T-l. It will be assumed that these connections have 3 been made.

It will be seen that, under the conditions described above, a portion of the full line voltage, as determined 10. Therheostats 73 and 74 are connected in parallel with each other; the voltmeter 75 is connected in parallel with coil 91 of the clutch 10, and the two parallel circuits are connected in series with each other. Thus, the'voltage across the clutch coil 91 is a portion of the voltage applied between the leads 78 and 79, and is determined by the positions of the rheostats 73 and 74. The rheostat 73 is manually adjustable, but the rheostat 74, in accordance with the present invention, is adjusted automatically in response to variations in the warp speed. In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in the drawing, the contact arm 74a of the rheostat 74 is keyed to and driven rotationally by the regulating shaft 35 of the variable speed drive device 9.

The operation of the system will now be described. To start the slasher, the operator closes the start button 69, time delay relay TDR becomes energized, the contacts TDR-1 close and a portion of the total line voltage L1- L2, as determined by the position of rheostat arm 71A, is applied across the terminals T-2, T-4 of terminal strip 77, and across the leads 78, 79. A portion of the voltage across leads 7 8, 79 is then applied across the coil 91 of clutch 10 according to the setting of the rheostats.

73 and 74. 7

As indicated previously herein, in prior art slasher drives using electromagnetic clutches, a decrease in warp tension is experienced during start-up of the machine due to power lost in accelerating the machine from a stopped to a full speed condition. In the control system of the present invention, rheostat 71 is in the start-up circuit and may be considered as the acceleration or'heavy ten-- sion rheostat. The arm 71-A of rheostat 71 is'set by the operator toapply a large portion of full line voltage across the terminals T-2, T-4. For example, if the line terminal T-4, while the previously closed circuit from rheostat 71 is now open. Rheostat 72 controls the tension during normal operation following start-up and may be referred to as the light tension or operating tension rheostat. Rheostat 72 is set to apply a lessenvoltage across leads 78, 79 than rheostat 71.'For example, rheostat 72 may be set by the operator to apply 60 volts across leads 78, 79.

Rheostats 73 and 74 together provide what may be referred to. as programmed tension. The operator selects a position for rheostat 73 which determines the percentage decrease in tension which is wanted as the warp "beam 21 increases in diameter. For example, the operator may determine, as by trial and experience, that to obtain the desired decrease in warp tension he should reduce the voltage across the clutch coil 91 from 50 to .40 volts during the build-up of the warp beam. He would then set rheostat 73 accordingly. The other rheostat'74 has the'elfect of programming whatever percent of control is set on rheostat 71. As already indicated, rheostat 74 is connected in shunt with rheostat 73 and is fixed on and driven by regulating shaft 35. Thus, rheostat 74 is adjusted at the same time that the differential means 30 rotates the regulating shaft 35 to the variable speed device 9 to compensate for a change in warp beam diameter. Assume, for example, that as a result of the manual setting of the operating rheostat 72, 60 volts is applied across leads 78, 79. Assume further that rheostat 73 is manually set to cause avoltage drop of say volts across the paralleled rheostats 73, 74 when rheostat 74 is at a position determined by the angular position of regulating shaft 35 immediately following the conclusion of the start-up period. Fifty volts would then be applied across the clutch coil 91 at the beginning of the normal operating period, and this voltage would be read by the voltmeter 75.

As the slasher machine continues to operate and the overall diameter of the warp beam 21 continues to increase, due to accumulation of warp thereon, the tension increases and the rotary output member 88 of electromagnetic clutch 10 tends to slip relative to the input member 86. This causes the clutch output shaft 8 to slow down slightly, thereby causing the rotative speed of shaft 31 to slow down in a corresponding manner. Since the rotative speed of shaft 41 remains unchanged, the differential gear unit 30 rotates, turning shaft 37 and thus causing the regulating shaft 35 to turn, and since the arm 74a of rheostat 74 is fixed to shaft 35, the arm 74a is moved in a direction to increase the voltage drop across the paralled rheostats 73, 74, thereby to decrease the voltage across the coil 91 of the electromagnetic clutch 10. This allows the output member 88 of the clutch 10 to slip to a desired degree relative to the input member 86, thereby to maintain a slightly reduced tension on the warp.

The action just described is repeated over and over thereby providing a tapered tension, i.e., a tension which gradually decreases, on the warp. This assures that the final ends are wound on at a slightly decreased tension as compared with those at the beginning.

An advantage of having the manually adjusted rheostat 73 connected in shunt with the rheostat 74, which is controlled by the movement of the regulating shaft 35 of the variable speed device, is that a finer control is obtained. When the rheostat 74 is changed by movement of the shaft 35, the change in the resistance across the paralleled rheostats 73, 74 is very much less than the change in the individual rheostat 74. For example, if both rheostats were initially set to introduce 100 ohms into the circuit, the net resistance across the paralleled rheostats would be 50 ohms. If rheostat 74 were changed by the regulating shaft from 100 ohms to 125 ohms, an increase of 25 ohms, the net resistance would change from 50 ohms to about 55 ohms, an increase of only about 5 ohms. Thus, the change in the voltage across the coil 91 of the electromagnetic clutch 10 is considerably smaller than would have been the case had the rheostat 74 not been paralleled by the manually set rheostat 73.

In summary, the circuit arrangement of FIG. 2 provides increased power during acceleration, sharply decreased power following expiration of the start-up period, and gradually decreasing power during the remainder of the operating period.

If during the light-tension operating period the operator wishes to increase the tension, he may do so by closing switch 7 ii. This will energize the FA relay, close the FA-l contacts, and open the FA-2 contacts, and will cause a higher voltage to be applied across the leads 78, 79, as determined by the position of arm 71-A of rheostat 71.

While the rheostat 74 has been illustrated and described as being driven by the regulating shaft 35, and while this is the preferred embodiment, it should be understood that rheostat 74 should be programmed by other means on the machine reflecting the beam diameter. For example, the position of an ironing compressor roll that runs against the yarn on the beam and reflects warp-beam diameter may be used to control the movement of rheostat 74. Or, the speed at which the warp is moving could be sensed and used to effect the control.

The particular slasher machine illustrated in FIG. 1 embodies a second variable speed device 56 whose input shaft 57 is driven through a sprocket chain 58 from the jack shaft 3. The output shaft 59 of device 56 is connected by a sprocket chain 60 to a transverse shaft 61 which drives other parts of the machine (not shown) through sprocket chains 62 and 63. The speed at which the jack shaft 3 is rotating is indicated on a speedometer 50 driven by the jack shaft through a chain 51.

It is to be understood that the particular layout and arrangement of drive chains, sprockets, gearing, etc. illustrated in FIG. 1 for connecting the magnetic clutch to the textile machine is merely illustrative of one form of drive mechanism, and that other forms of drive may be used, within the limits specified in the appended claims.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been described in some detail, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Having described the invention, What is claimed is:

1. In a drive mechanism for a textile machine; a yarn collecting beam and a shaft on which said beam is mounted; rotary power means; an electromagnetic clutch having a drive member, a driven member and an electrical coil for controlling the coupling between said drive memher and said driven member, the output torque of said clutch being a function of the current through said coil; a variable speed device having input means, output means and regulating means; a rotary speed differential device having first and second input means and output means; means connecting said rotary power means to said clutch drive member, means connecting said rotary power means to said first input means of said speed differential device; means connecting said clutch driven member to said input means of said variable speed device; means connecting said clutch driven member to said second input means of said speed differential device; means connecting said output means of said speed differential device to said regulating means of said variable speed device; means connecting said output means of said variable speed device to said yarn collecting beam shaft; and electrical resistance means coupled to said speed differential device for varying the voltage applied across clutch coil for varying the current through said clutch coil, said lastnamed means including a control rheostat having a control shaft and means coupling said shaft of said control rheostat to the regulating means of said variable speed device, thereby to vary said control rheostat in response to changes in said regulating means.

2. In a drive mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further characterized in that a second rheostat is connected in shunt with said control rheostat, and further characterized in that second rheostat is adapted for manual adjustment.

3. In a drive mechanism as claimed in claim 2, further characterized in that said means for varying the voltage applied across the clutch coil includes third and fourth rheostats each adapted to be selectively connected in series with the voltage source, means for adjusting said third and fourth rheostats to substantially different ohmic values, and relay means for controlling which one of said third and fourth rheostats is connected in series with the voltage source.

4. In a drive mechanism for a textile machine in which a yarn collecting beam is driven from a rotary power source through an electromagnetic clutch having an electric coil and input and output shafts coupled together magnetically by a force which is dependent upon the clutch coil current; ditferential means coupled to said clutch input and output shafts for producing an output related to the difference in the rotary speeds of said shafts; and means coupled to the output of said differential means for varying the clutch coil current according to said output, said last-named means including a control rheostat connected in series with said clutch coil and a manually adjustablesecond rheostat connected in shunt 7 With said control rheostat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Seidel 74793 Worrall .4 74752 Bechle 74 230.'17 Logan et al 192-215 Willard 74793 Schaub 74472.3 Black 74472.3

Moan 74761 DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner.

15 I. R. BENEFIE L, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DRIVE MECHANISM FOR A TEXTILE MACHINE; A YARN COLLECTING BEAM AND A SHAFT ON WHICH SAID BEAM IS MOUNTED; ROTARY POWER MEANS; AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CLUTCH HAVING A DRIVE MEMBER, A DRIVEN MEMBER AND AN ELECTRICAL COIL FOR CONTROLLING THE COUPLING BETWEEN SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, THE OUTPUT TORQUE OF SAID CLUTCH BEING A FUNCTION OF THE CURRENT THROUGH SAID COIL; A VARIABLE SPEED DEVICE HAVING INPUT MEANS, OUTPUT MEANS AND REGULATING MEANS; A ROTARY SPEED DIFFERENTIAL DEVICE HAVING FIRST AND SECOND INPUT MEANS AND OUTPUT MEANS; MEANS CONNECTING SAID ROTARY POWER MEANS TO SAID CLUTCH DRIVE MEMBER, MEANS CONNECTING SAID ROTARY POWER MEANS TO SAID FIRST INPUT MEANS OF SAID SPEED DIFFERENTIAL DEVICE; MEANS CONNECTING SAID CLUTCH DRIVEN MEMBER TO SAID INPUT MEANS OF SAID VARIABLE SPEED DEVICE; MEANS CONNECTING SAID CLUTCH DRIVEN MEMBER TO SAID SECOND INPUT MEANS OF SAID SPEED DIFFERENTIAL DEVICE; MEANS CONNECTING SAID OUTPUT MEANS OF SAID SPEED DIFFERENTIAL DEVICE TO SAID REGULATING MEANS OF SAID VARIABLE SPEED DEVICE; MEANS CONNECTING SAID OUTPUT MEANS OF SAID VARIABLE SPEED DEVICE TO SAID YARN COLLECTING BEAM SHAFT; AND ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SPEED DIFFERENTIAL DEVICE FOR VARYING THE VOLTAGE APPLIED ACROSS CLUTCH COIL FOR VARYING THE CURRENT THROUGH SAID CLUTCH COIL, SAID LASTNAMED MEANS INCLUDING A CONTROL RHEOSTAT HAVING A CONTROL SHAFT AND MEANS COUPLING SAID SHAFT OF SAID CONTROL RHEOSTAT TO THE REGULATING MEANS OF SAID VARIABLE SPEED DEVICE, THEREBY TO VARY SAID CONTROL RHEOSTAT IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN SAID REGULATING MEANS. 